Standoff At Midnight Mountain

Her brother is missing

And she’s the next target

After her CIA operative brother disappears, leaving behind only a cryptic message, armed men target former agent Rachel Simmons for information. But with help from her ex, Agent Alex Booth, Rachel eludes them, trekking into the mountains in search of her brother. Pursued through the wilderness by highly trained—and very familiar—men, can Alex and Rachel expose a conspiracy that goes deeper than they ever imagined?

MARY ALFORD was inspired to become a writer after reading romantic suspense greats Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney. Soon, creating characters and throwing them into dangerous situations that test their faith came naturally for Mary. In 2012 Mary entered the Speed Dating contest hosted by Love Inspired Suspense and later received “the call.” Writing for Love Inspired Suspense has been a dream come true for Mary.

Also By Mary Alford

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Rocky Mountain Pursuit

Deadly Memories

Framed for Murder

Standoff at Midnight Mountain

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Standoff at Midnight Mountain

Mary Alford

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08463-5

STANDOFF AT MIDNIGHT MOUNTAIN

© 2018 Mary Eason

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

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“Alex, they’re coming. We have to hurry.”

Alex looped the rope around the tree and started tying it off. Before he’d finished, he heard voices coming from just over the ridge. He took Rachel’s hand and they headed to the edge of the creek.

“You should go ahead of me. I’m positive it will hold your weight. I’m not sure about mine. If they reach me before I can cross, cut the rope and get out of here. Find Liam.”

He didn’t get to finish before she shook her head. “I’m not leaving you behind, Alex. We’re in this together.”

His gaze clung to hers. So many unspoken feelings weighed on his mind. He had to protect her.

“Rachel, I...” He wasn’t sure what he wanted to tell her, only that he needed her to understand that he still cared about her.

She placed her finger over his lips. “No, you’re going to make it and I’m not leaving this area without you. We’re going to find Liam together, and this is all going to be a bad memory someday.”

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

—Psalms 23:4

Dear Reader,

There’s just something about first love stories that warm the heart, especially when a love that was believed lost forever is rekindled once again.

For Alex Booth and Rachel Simmons, their high school romance ended bitterly when their jobs with the CIA got in the way. Rachel wanted to have a normal life and family, but Alex couldn’t imagine living without the adrenaline rush of the job, and so they parted. Rachel left the CIA for good, and Alex always regretted letting her go.

When Rachel’s brother and fellow CIA agent Liam Carlson goes missing in the mountains near Rachel’s Wyoming home of Midnight Mountain, there’s only one person she trusts enough to ask for help. And that’s Alex.

With the two reunited once more, their desperate search to bring Liam home is clouded by old resentments and misunderstanding from the past. Together, Alex and Rachel must find a way to put the past behind them in order to find Liam before the men chasing him finish the job they started and end Liam’s life.